History Creator / RosemarySutcliff

She published her first books, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood'' and ''The Queen Elizabeth Story'', with Oxford University Press in 1950. They were followed by three more novels before her breakout bestseller ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', which as UsefulNotes/SchoolStudyMedia became the TropeCodifier of the LostRomanLegion for generations of children, and has inspired several adaptations including the film ''Film/TheEagle2011''. It was eventually followed by seven loosely linked sequels sometimes known as "The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles" or "Literature/TheDolphinRing series", after the signet ring [[GenerationalSaga passed down through the generations]] of a Roman British family.

Sutcliff was commended six times for the UK's most prestigious award for children's writing, the UsefulNotes/CarnegieMedal. ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'' (1954), ''[[Literature/TheDolphinRing The Shield Ring]]'' (1956), ''Literature/TheSilverBranch'' (1957), and ''Literature/WarriorScarlet'' (1958) were shortlisted before ''The Lantern Bearers'' won in 1959. She received her final commendation for ''Tristan and Iseult'' in 1971.

* 1184 CE: ''The Chronicles of RobinHood'' (1950)

** ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'': Bedwyr and Guenhumara leave Artos over their TriangRelations.

* FiveManBand: The Joyous Company – Tobias Pennifeather is TheLeader, Jasper Nye is TheLancer, Benjamin Bunsell is TheBigGuy, Jonathan Whiteleafe is TheSmartGuy, Nicholas Bodkyn is TheChick. Hugh is their TagalongKid.

Sutcliff was commended six times for the UK's most prestigious award for children's writing, the UsefulNotes/CarnegieMedal. ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'' (1954), ''[[Literature/TheDolphinRing The Shield Ring]]'' (1956), ''The Silver Branch'' (1957), and ''Literature/WarriorScarlet'' (1958) were shortlisted before ''The Lantern Bearers'' won in 1959. She received her final commendation for ''Tristan and Iseult'' in 1971.

** CanineCompanion: Little John, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Esca "the Centurion's hound" in ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''; Cullen "the Hound of Curoi" in ''[[Literature/TheDolphinRing The Silver Branch]]''; Drem is a "Hound of Dumnorix" in ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Randal the dog-boy in ''Literature/KnightsFee''; ''The Hound of Ulster'', Cú Chulainn; Jestyn Englishman in ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Hugh Herriot in ''Literature/BonnieDundee''; Conn in ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''.

** Robin Hood's outlaws, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; the Lost Legion, ''The Silver Branch''; the Spear Brotherhood, ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; the Company, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; the Varangian Guard, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; the Frontier Scouts, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''.

** ''The Silver Branch'': the Carausian rebellion.

** Ugly as hell: Piers Caunter, ''The Armourer's House''; Justinius, ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Justin, ''The Silver Branch''; Sir Charles Cavendish, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Bedwyr, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Lancelot, the King Arthur Trilogy.

** SpeechImpediment: Justin, ''[[Literature/TheDolphinRing The Silver Branch]]''; Sir Thomas Fairfax, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Claudius, ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''.
** Mental irregularities: The Tom-o'-Bedlam, ''Brother Dusty-Feet''; the mazelin, ''The Shield Ring''; Cullen, ''The Silver Branch''; Dicken Gibberdyke, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Stripey, ''Swallows in the Spring''; Daft Fergie, Old Nannie, and Geordie Breck, ''We Lived in Drumfyvie''.

** Robin of Locksley, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Adam Hilyarde, ''The Queen Elizabeth Story''; Simon Carey, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Marcus et al., ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''; Beric and Justinius (as horse-breeders), ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Bjorn and Frytha, ''The Shield Ring''; Flavius, ''The Silver Branch''; Drem, ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Aquila (as a slave), ''The Lantern Bearers''; Sir Thomas Fairfax, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Randal and the d'Aguillons, ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Owain, ''Dawn Wind''; Artos (horse-breeding), ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Aracos, ''A Circlet of Oak Leaves''; Lovel (physic gardening), ''The Witch's Brat''; Jestyn Englishman (cow herd), ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Damaris Crocker and Peter Ballard, ''Flame-Coloured Taffeta''; Bjarni and Angharad, ''Sword Song''.

** The Down Country and Selsey: ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', ''The Silver Branch'', ''Literature/WarriorScarlet'', ''The Lantern Bearers'', ''Literature/KnightsFee'', ''Dawn Wind'', ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'', ''The Witch's Brat'', ''Sun Horse, Moon Horse'', ''Flowering Dagger'', ''Flame-Coloured Taffeta''.
** OopNorth: ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood'', ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', ''The Shield Ring'', ''The Silver Branch'', ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse'', ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'', ''Literature/TheMarkOfTheHorseLord'', ''A Circlet of Oak Leaves'', ''The Capricorn Bracelet'', ''We Lived in Drumfyvie'', ''Literature/FrontierWolf'', ''Literature/TheShiningCompany'', ''Sword Song''.

** Roman Britons vs. Anglo-Saxons: ''The Silver Branch'', ''The Lantern Bearers'', ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'', ''Dawn Wind''

** Beric in ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Evicatos, ''The Silver Branch''; Drem in ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Owain, ''Dawn Wind''; Midir, ''Literature/TheMarkOfTheHorseLord''; Stripey, ''Swallows in the Spring''; Tethra, ''The Changeling''; Alexios, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Hugh Herriot, ''Literature/BonnieDundee''; Tom Wildgoose, ''Flame-Coloured Taffeta''; Bjarni Sigurdson, ''Sword Song''.

** Aversions: Susanna Killigrew, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Flavius, ''The Silver Branch''; Prasutagus, ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''; Cunorix, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Cordaella and Vedrix, ''Eagle's Egg''.

** Garrison duty: ''The Capricorn Bracelet'', ''The Silver Branch'', "Swallows in the Spring"

** Robin Hood and Little John, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Robin Pettle and Adam Hilyarde, ''The Queen Elizabeth Story''; Simon Carey and Amias Hannaford, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Marcus and Esca, ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''; Justin and Flavius, ''The Silver Branch''; Drem and Vortrix, ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Thomas and William Fairfax, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Androphon and Cador, ''The Bridge-Builders''; Randal and Bevis d'Aguillon, ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Artos and Bedwyr, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Tristan and Gorvenal, ''Tristan and Iseult''; Amyntas and Leon, ''A Crown of Wild Olive''; Jamie and Johnnie Douglas, Eckie Brock and Donal Dhu, Johnnie Forsyth and Hugh Maitland, ''We Lived in Drumfyvie''; Jestyn Englishman and Thormod Sitricson, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Lubrin Dhu and Dara, ''Sun Horse, Moon Horse''; Alexios and Cunorix, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Darklis Ruthven and Jean Cochrane, ''Literature/BonnieDundee''; Thomas Keith and Tussun Bey, ''Literature/BloodAndSand''; Prosper and Conn, ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''; Achilles and Patroclus, ''Black Ships Before Troy''.

** CombatMedic: Little John, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Amias and Odysseus Hannaford, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Marcus (posing as an occulist), ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''; Justinius, ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Justin, ''The Silver Branch''; Gwalchmai, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Aracos, ''A Circlet of Oak Leaves''; Tethra, ''The Changeling''; Jestyn Englishman, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Donald [=MacLeod=], ''Literature/BloodAndSand''.

** TheBard: Rhiada in ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Bjorn and Haethcyn in ''The Shield Ring''; Cullen in ''The Silver Branch''; Tristan in ''Tristan and Iseult'' and ''The Sword and the Circle''; Sinnoch, ''Sun Horse, Moon Horse''; Cadwan of the Harp in ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''; Aneirin in ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''.

** WanderingMinstrel: Robin "the Minstrel", ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; the Palmer in ''Brother Dusty-Feet''; Pentecost Fiddler in ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Rhiada in ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Bjorn and Haethcyn in ''The Shield Ring''; Cullen in ''The Silver Branch''; Herluin in ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Bedwyr in ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Rahere in ''The Witch's Brat''; Thorn in ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Cadwan of the Harp in ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''; Shadow Mason in ''Flame-Coloured Taffeta''; ''The Minstrel and the Dragon-Pup''.

** Elizabeth I in ''The Queen Elizabeth Story''; Sir Thomas Fairfax in ''Literature/{{Simon}}'' and ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Jarl Buthar and Aikin the Beloved in ''The Shield Ring''; Carausius in ''The Silver Branch''; Ambrosius in ''The Lantern Bearers'' and ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Philip de Braose in ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Aethelbert and Augustine in ''Dawn Wind''; Alkibiades in ''The Flowers of Adonis''; Rahere in ''The Witch's Brat''; Sir James Douglas and Montrose in ''We Lived in Drumfyvie''; Vladimir of Kiev and Basil "the Bulgar Slayer" in ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Constans in ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Agricola in ''Eagle's Egg''; Claverhouse in ''Literature/BonnieDundee''; Muhammed Ali Pasha, Ibrahim Pasha, Tussun Pasha, Abdullah ibn Saud, ''Literature/BloodAndSand''; Mynyddog, Ceredig, Gorthyn, and Cynan Mac Clydno in ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''; Onund Treefoot, Thorstein the Red, and Aud the Deep-Minded in ''Sword Song''.

** Hugh Copplestone, ''Brother Dusty-Feet''; Simon Carey, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Frytha, ''The Shield Ring''; Justin, ''The Silver Branch''; Bess Throckmorton, ''Literature/LadyInWaiting''; Anne Fairfax, ''Literature/TheRiderOfTheWhiteHorse''; Randal, ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Timotheus, Arcadius, Timandra et al., ''The Flowers of Adonis''; Jestyn Englishman, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Blue Feather, ''Shifting Sands''; Lubrin Dhu, ''Sun Horse, Moon Horse''; Hugh Herriot, ''Literature/BonnieDundee''; Prosper, ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''; Bjarni Sigurdson, ''Sword Song''.

** Allies: Friar Tuck, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Timothy Pettle, ''The Queen Elizabeth Story''; Peter Copplestone, ''Brother Dusty-Feet''; Zeal-for-the-Lord Relf, Mistress Killigrew, and other Puritans, ''Literature/{{Simon}}''; Anthonius, ''The Silver Branch''; Midir, ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; Brother Ninnias, ''The Lantern Bearers''; Priscilla and St. Augustine, ''Dawn Wind''; the Archbishop of Venta, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Laethrig, ''The Chief's Daughter''; Rahere, the Benedictines of New Minster, and Lovel, ''The Witch's Brat''; Master Gilliechrist, Master Simon, Andrew Beaton, and John Meikle, ''We Lived in Drumfyvie''; Aneirin, ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''; Aud the Deep-Minded, Brother Gisli, and Brother Ninian, ''Sword Song''.

** Literature/TheDolphinRing: The Flavius family's signet ring, a dolphin on a flawed emerald, is passed down through ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', ''The Silver Branch'', ''Literature/FrontierWolf'', ''The Lantern Bearers'', ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'', ''Dawn Wind'', ''Sword Song'', and ''The Shield Ring''.

** ''The Silver Branch'': "I am the Hound of Curoi"

* 292 CE: ''[[Literature/TheDolphinRing The Silver Branch]]'' (1957)

She published her first books, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood'' and ''The Queen Elizabeth Story'', with Oxford University Press in 1950. They were followed by three more novels before her breakout bestseller ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', which as SchoolStudyMedia became the TropeCodifier of the LostRomanLegion for generations of children, and has inspired several adaptations including the film ''Film/TheEagle2011''. It was eventually followed by seven loosely linked sequels sometimes known as "The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles" or "Literature/TheDolphinRing series", after the signet ring [[GenerationalSaga passed down through the generations]] of a Roman British family.

** "stirabout": [[Literature/TheToughGuideToFantasyland because "stew" is cliche]]

* PeopleOfHairColour: Romans, Picts, and Little Dark People are (you guessed it) mostly dark, while Celts, Saxons, and Norsemen are fair, and characters of MixedAncestry tend to look tellingly like the side of their parentage they identify less with.

* MixedAncestry: A lot of people, reflecting the themes of CultureClash and gradual cultural evolution. They're often a target of HalfBreedDiscrimination.
** Beric and Justinius, ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Bjorn Bjornsson, ''The Shield Ring''; Carausius/Curoi, Serapion, and the Flavius family, ''The Silver Branch''; Blai and the Half People, ''Literature/WarriorScarlet''; the Minnow and Mull, ''The Lantern Bearers''; Artos, Bedwyr, Ygerna, and Cerdic, ''Literature/SwordAtSunset''; Randal, ''Literature/KnightsFee''; Uncle Widreth, ''Dawn Wind''; Phaedrus, Sinnoch, and Liadhan, ''Literature/TheMarkOfTheHorseLord''; Tethra (by adoption), ''The Changeling''; Jestyn Englishman and Erland Silkbeard, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Lubrin Dhu, ''Sun Horse, Moon Horse''; Prasutagus and Nessan, ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''; Alexios, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Darklis Ruthven, ''Literature/BonnieDundee''.

* ConflictingLoyalties: Though their [[HonorBeforeReason duty is usually clear]], characters are often challenged with personal ties to enemy friends or the other side of a MixedAncestry.

Sutcliff was the daughter of a Royal Navy commander, and much of her work focuses on military officers and the life of the service. At two years old, she developed juvenile arthritis which partially crippled her; she spent much of her childhood in and out of hospital and used a wheelchair in later life. Medicine and disabled characters play a prominent role in her fiction. She was educated largely at home by her mother, who introduced her to literature, especially Myth/CelticMythology and [[KingArthur the Matter of Britain]]. She also became a great admirer of Creator/RudyardKipling, who strongly influences her prose, settings, and themes. As a young adult, she trained as an artist, working as a painter of miniatures. A vivid evocation of visual detail later translated to her writing.

** ''The Lantern Bearers'' and ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'': the Anglo-Saxon settlement of Britain and the possible historical KingArthur

* HistoricalDomainCharacter: Usually limited to cameos, but several novels are based on the lives of real (or [[KingArthur allegedly real]]) people.

** KingArthur

* KingArthur: Sutcliff wrote four volumes of Arthurian legends, as well as making him a real person in her historical continuity, who is nostalgically invoked by characters of later ages.
** ''Tristan and Iseult''
** ''The Sword and the Circle'': Excalibur and the Round Table
** ''The Light Beyond the Forest'': the quest for the Holy Grail
** ''The Road to Camlann''
** "Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady" is retold in ''The Queen Elizabeth Story''.
** A brace of sabres named Balin and Balan appear in ''Literature/{{Simon}}''.
** The supposed historical Arthur is the second Hero featured in the "non-fictional" ''Heroes and History''.
** ''The Lantern Bearers'': the young Artos appears as a secondary character.
** ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'': the adult Artos unites Britain against the Saxons.
** ''Literature/TheShiningCompany'': Artos's unified Britain has broken into smaller kingdoms.
** ''Dawn Wind'': Artos's last successors are defeated by the Saxons.

* ShoutOut: See also KingArthur and Myth/CelticMythology.

** Artos, or KingArthur, in ''The Lantern Bearers'', ''Literature/SwordAtSunset'', ''Dawn Wind'', and ''Literature/TheShiningCompany''.

* ShowWithinAShow: Two chapters are given over to in-story recountings of "[[KingArthur Sir Gawain and the Loathly Lady]]" and Literature/TheChildrenOfLir.

* The KingArthur Trilogy

A young Athenian runner [[NotSoDifferent befriends]] his [[WorthyOpponent Spartan competitor]] at the UsefulNotes/OlympicGames in the middle of UsefulNotes/ThePeloponnesianWar.

* TheJester: HistoricalDomainCharacter Rahere is King Henry I's Jongleur or minstrel, a role with which he is not entirely satisfied.

** TheJester: Peterkin, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood''; Jonathan Whiteleafe, ''Brother Dusty-Feet''; Hunferth, ''Beowulf''; Rahere, ''The Witch's Brat''.

** ''The Hound of Ulster'': retells the life of Cú Chulainn, including the [[Literature/TainBoCuailnge Táin Bó Cúailnge]] and [[Literature/TheExileOfTheSonsOfUisnech the Exile of the Sons of Uisnech]]. He's also mentioned in ''Literature/FrontierWolf'', ''Literature/TheShiningCompany'', and ''Sword Song''.

* ''The Hound of [[Literature/TainBoCuailnge Ulster]]'' (1963)

* OurFairiesAreDifferent: The Little Dark People are [[{{Demythtification}} demythtified]] aboriginal Britons in her HistoricalFiction. The Sidhe appear in her myth retellings like ''The Hound of Ulster'' and ''The High Deeds of Finn Mac Cool''.

* DidTheResearch: Nevertheless.

** ''Love and Death in Arabia'' (2008, {{Takarazuka}} musical)

* CapitalLettersAreMagic

* GreyEyes: Often the mark of a cool head or other HiddenDepths.
** Esca, ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''; Justinius, ''Literature/{{Outcast}}''; Ambrosius, ''The Lantern Bearers''; Regina, ''Dawn Wind''; Rahere, ''The Witch's Brat''; Tristan, ''Tristan and Iseult''; Thormod Sitricson, ''Literature/BloodFeud''; Nessan, ''Literature/SongForADarkQueen''; Guenever and Lancelot, the King Arthur Trilogy; Alexios, ''Literature/FrontierWolf''; Thomas Keith and Anoud, ''Literature/BloodAndSand''.

Rosemary Sutcliff (14 December 1920 – 23 July 1992) was a British writer of YoungAdult HistoricalFiction, who published some fifty books between 1950 and 1997. She is best-known for her novels set in Roman Britain, particularly ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth''. She was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for her services to children's literature.

** ''Film/TheEagle'' (2011)

She published her first books, ''The Chronicles of Robin Hood'' and ''The Queen Elizabeth Story'', with Oxford University Press in 1950. They were followed by three more novels before her breakout bestseller ''Literature/TheEagleOfTheNinth'', which as SchoolStudyMedia became the TropeCodifier of the LostRomanLegion for generations of children, and has inspired several adaptations including the 2011 film ''Film/TheEagle''. It was eventually followed by seven loosely linked sequels sometimes known as "The Eagle of the Ninth Chronicles" or "Literature/TheDolphinRing series", after the signet ring [[GenerationalSaga passed down through the generations]] of a Roman British family.